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Updated May 23, 2022
The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
What Is the Army’s Long-Range
Hypersonic Weapon?
LRHW Components
The Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
Missile
(Figure 1), with a reported range of 1,725 miles, consists of
The missile component of the LRHW is reportedly being
a ground-launched missile equipped with a hypersonic glide
developed by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
body and associated transport, support, and fire control
When the hypersonic glide body is attached, it is referred to
equipment. According to the Army:
as the Navy-Army All Up Round plus Canister (AUR+C).
This land-based, truck-launched system is armed
The missile component is to serve as the common two-stage
with hypersonic missiles that can travel well over
booster for the Army’s LRHW and the Navy’s
3,800 miles per hour. They can reach the top of the
Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) system, which is
Earth’s atmosphere and remain just beyond the
intended to be fired from both surface vessels and
range of air and missile defense systems until they
submarines.
are ready to strike, and by then it’s too late to react.
Extremely accurate, ultrafast, maneuverable and
What Is Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD)?
survivable, hypersonics can strike anywhere in the
A Department of Defense (DOD) term used to describe
world within minutes. For the battery, the task force
“Chinese and Russian approaches that seek to prevent U.S.
and the U.S. Army, they provide a critical strategic
forces from gaining or using access to overseas bases or
weapon and a powerful deterrent against adversary
critical locations, such as ports and airfields, while denying U.S.
capabilities.
forces the ability to maneuver within striking distance of their
Figure 1. Artist Rendition of a Notional LRHW Unit
territory. Col ectively, these actions could significantly
constrain U.S. military interventions or raise their costs.”
Source: Chris Dougherty, “Moving Beyond A2/AD,” Center for
a New American Security, December 3, 2020.
Common Hypersonic Glide Body (C-HGB)
The C-HGB is reportedly based on the Alternate Re-Entry
System previously developed by the Sandia National
Laboratories and the U.S. Army. Dynetics, a subsidiary of
Leidos, is currently under contract to produce C-HGB
prototypes for the Army, Navy, and the Missile Defense
Agency. The C-HGB “uses a booster rocket motor to
accelerate to well-above hypersonic speeds, and then
jettisons the expended rocket booster.” According to
Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/
Dynetics, the C-HGB is to be maneuverable, making it
a36421213/army-hypersonic-weapon-1700-mile-range/, accessed
more difficult to detect and intercept and “can travel at
November 18, 2021.
Mach 5 or higher ... at least five times faster than the speed
of sound or up to 13,000 miles per hour.” The C-HGB is
The Army further notes:
intended to be able to destroy targets by virtue of its
The Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
velocity alone.
system will provide the Army a prototype strategic
LRHW Organization and Units
attack weapon system to defeat Anti-Access/Area
Denial (A2/AD) capabilities, suppress adversary
The LRHW is to be organized into batteries—a designation
long range fires, and engage other high payoff/time
given to company-sized units of field and air defense
artillery. Initially, each battery reportedly is to have four
critical targets. The Army is working closely with
launchers, each with two missiles, a mobile battery
the Navy in the development of the LRHW. LRHW
operations center, and a number of support vehicles such as
is common with the Common Hypersonic Glide
the Army’s currently deployed Heavy Expanded Mobility
Body (C-HGB), and the Navy 34.5 inch booster.
Tactical Truck (HEMTT) to transport the LRHWs.
Additionally, the LRHW is to use an existing
command and control (C2) network, the Advanced
Reportedly, the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment at
Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS).
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, is to operate the
first battery of eight LRHW missiles. The battalion, also
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
referred to as a Strategic Long-Range Fires battalion, is part
Potential Issues for Congress
of the Army’s 1st Multi Domain Task Force (MDTF), a unit
in the Pacific-oriented I Corps also stationed at Joint Base
LRHW Costs
Lewis-McChord. Other LRHW batteries are planned for
An article suggests the Army’s LRHW missile could cost
Strategic Long-Range Fires battalions in each of the four
$106 million per missile and the program could add as
remaining MDTFs scheduled for activation. It is not known
much as $7 billion to the Army’s budget over the next few
if the Army plans to stand up more than the five LRHW
years. The Senate Armed Services Committee suggested:
batteries assigned to MDTFs or if any LRHW units will be
To better understand future costs and inform future
assigned to the Army National Guard.
decisions, the committee directs the Army to refine
LRHW Testing and Program Activities
the cost estimate for additional currently-designed
Reportedly, on October 20, 2021, the Army and Navy
hypersonic glide body missiles that are to be
conducted three successful tests of “hypersonic weapon
acquired. Additionally, the committee directs the
component prototypes.” During a separate test that same
Army to assess alternatives to the current LRHW
day, a booster rocket carrying a hypersonic glide vehicle
missile, to include lower-cost alternative glide
reportedly failed a test flight. The Army plans three flight
bodies and air-breathing hypersonic technologies
tests of the C-HGB before the first battery is fielded in
and to provide a briefing on the assessment to the
FY2023.
Senate Armed Services Committee not later than
January 15, 2022.
Reportedly, the Army plans to field a prototype LRHW
Given congressional interest in LRHW costs, it is possible
battery in 2023 and then transition to a formal Program of
that less costly versions could be developed in the future.
Record and field second and third batteries in 2025 and
2027. There are also plans for technology insertions
LRHW Overseas Basing
intended to upgrade the C-HGB in 2026 and 2027.
On March 30, 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Army
FY2023 Budgetary Information
discussing the LRHW reportedly noted, “The politics of
where they're based, how they're based, will be up to the
policymakers and the diplomats.” Given the 1,725 mile
Table 1. FY2023 LRHW Budget Request
range limitation of the LRHW, the inability to secure
Total Request
overseas basing rights for these units could limit or negate
Funding Category
($M)
their effectiveness. On December 1, 2021, the Secretary of
the Army reportedly suggested the LRHW “will likely be
RDT&E
$806
fielded in the United States, rather than in allied countries
near China” and “the Army is ready, when called upon, to
Procurement
$249
be able to put those kinds of capabilities in the region. But
Sources:
it’s really [the State and Defense Departments] that will
take the lead in those discussions.” Reportedly, in May
RDT&E—Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget
2022, the Secretary of the Army noted that the Army did
Estimates, Army Justification Book 2a of 2, RDT&E, Volume II, Budget
not yet have basing agreements for long-range systems but
Activity 4, April 2022, p. 700 and Department of Defense Fiscal Year
“discussions were ongoing” with a number of countries in
2023 Budget Estimates, Army Justification Book 2e of 2, RDT&E,
the Indo-Pacific region. Given the importance of LRHW
Volume II, Budget Activity 5D, April 2022, p. 185.
basing, Congress might examine ongoing Army efforts to
Procurement—Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2023 Budget
secure LRHW basing in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific
Estimates, Army Justification Book of Missile Procurement, April
region.
2022, p. 66.
Notes: RDT&E = Research, Development, Test & Evaluation; $M =
Additional Resources
U.S. dollars in mil ions.
CRS Report R45811, Hypersonic Weapons: Background and
The Army notes requested FY2023 RDT&E funding will
Issues for Congress, by Kelley M. Sayler.
transition previous LRHW activities that are currently
CRS Report R46721, U.S. Army Long-Range Precision Fires:
managed by the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical
Background and Issues for Congress, by Andrew Feickert.
Technologies Office (RCCTO) to a Program of Record
CRS In Focus IF11797, The Army’s Multi-Domain Task Force
managed by Program Executive Office (PEO) Missiles and
(MDTF), by Andrew Feickert.
Space.
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
IF11991
https://crsreports.congress.gov
The U.S. Army’s Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW)
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11991 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED